Students who receive home instruction; participation in public school interscholastic programs.

Students who receive home instruction; participationin interscholastic programs. Prohibits public schools from joiningan organization governing interscholastic programs that does notdeem eligible for participation a student who (i) receives home instruction;(ii) has demonstrated evidence of progress for two consecutive academicyears; (iii) is in compliance with immunization requirements; (iv)is a person of school age for whom public school is free; (v) hasnot reached the age of 19 by August 1 of the current academic year;(vi) is an amateur who receives no compensation but participatessolely for the educational, physical, mental, and social benefitsof the activity; (vii) complies with all disciplinary rules and issubject to all codes of conduct applicable to all public high schoolathletes; and (viii) complies with all other rules governing awards, all-star games, maximum consecutive semesters of high school enrollment, parental consents, physical examinations, and transfers applicableto all high school athletes. The bill provides that no local schoolboard is required to establish a policy to permit students who receivehome instruction to participate in interscholastic programs. Thebill permits reasonable fees to be charged to students who receivehome instruction to cover the costs of participation in such interscholasticprograms, including the costs of additional insurance, uniforms,and equipment.